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Monday, January 8, 2007

VATICAN CITY, JAN 8, 2007 (VIS) - This morning in the Sala Regia of the Vatican, Pope Benedict pronounced his traditional annual address to members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, in which he analyzed the most important events of the year that has just ended. He also received greetings from the ambassadors formulated in a speech delivered by Giovanni Galassi, ambassador of San Marino and dean of the diplomatic corps. The Holy See currently maintains diplomatic relations with 175 States, to which must be added the European Union and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. It also has relations of a special nature with the Russian Federation and the Palestine Liberation Organization.

"At the start of the year," the Pope began, "we are invited to turn our attention to the international situation, so as to focus upon the challenges that we are called to address together. ... The worsening scandal of hunger is unacceptable in a world which has the resources, the knowledge, and the means available to bring it to an end. It impels us to change our way of life, it reminds us of the urgent need to eliminate the structural causes of global economic dysfunction and to correct models of growth that seem incapable of guaranteeing respect for the environment and for integral human development, both now and in the future.

"Once again I invite the leaders of the wealthiest nations to take the necessary steps to ensure that poor countries, which often have a wealth of natural resources, are able to benefit from the fruits of goods that are rightfully theirs. From this point of view, the delay in implementing the commitments undertaken by the international community during the last few years is another cause of concern. So it is to be hoped that the trade negotiations of the 'Doha Development Round' of the World Trade Organization will be resumed, and that the process of debt cancellation and reduction for the poorest countries will be continued and accelerated. At the same time, these processes must not be made conditional upon structural adjustments that are detrimental to the most vulnerable populations.

"Equally, in the area of disarmament, symptoms of a developing crisis are multiplying, linked to difficulties in negotiations over conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction and also to the rise in global military expenditure. Security issues - aggravated by terrorism, which is to be utterly condemned - must be approached from a global and far-sighted perspective.

"As far as humanitarian crises are concerned, we should note that the organizations dealing with them need greater support, so that they can be equipped to provide protection and assistance to the victims. Another concern which looms ever larger is that of the movement of persons: millions of men and women are forced to leave their homes or their native lands because of violence or in order to seek more dignified living conditions. It is an illusion to think that migration can be blocked or checked simply by force. Migration and the problems to which it gives rise must be addressed humanely, with justice and compassion.

"How can we not be alarmed, moreover, by the continuous attacks on life, from conception to natural death? Such attacks do not even spare regions with a traditional culture of respecting life, such as Africa, where there is an attempt to trivialize abortion surreptitiously, both through the Maputo Protocol. ... Equally, there are mounting threats to the natural composition of the family based on the marriage of a man and a woman, and attempts to relativize it by giving it the same status as other radically different forms of union."

"Other forms of attack on life are sometimes committed in the name of scientific research. There is a growing conviction that research is subject only to the laws that it chooses for itself and that it is limited only by its own possibilities. This is the case, for example, in attempts to legitimize human cloning for supposedly therapeutic ends.

"This overview of matters of concern must not distract our attention from the positive elements characteristic of the modern age. I should like to mention first of all the growing awareness of the importance of dialogue between cultures and between religions."

"It is also timely to note the growing awareness shown by the international community of the enormous challenges of our time, and the efforts made to transform this awareness into concrete action. Within the United Nations Organization, the Council for Human Rights was established last year, and it is to be hoped that this will focus its activity on defense and promotion of the fundamental rights of the person, especially the right to life and the right to religious freedom."

"Within the framework of development, various initiatives have been undertaken to which the Holy See has not failed to pledge its support, at the same time reiterating that these projects must not supplant the commitment of developed countries to devote 0.7 percent of their gross domestic product to international aid. Another important element in the collective struggle to eliminate poverty, in addition to aid - which one can only hope will expand - is a greater awareness of the need to combat corruption and to promote good governance. We must also encourage and continue the efforts that have been made to guarantee human rights to individuals and peoples, for the sake of more effective protection of civilian populations.

"In considering the political situation in the various continents, we find even more reasons for concern and reasons for hope. At the outset, we note that peace is often fragile and even mocked. We cannot forget the African Continent. The drama of Darfur continues and is being extended to the border regions of Chad and the Central African Republic. The international community has seemed powerless for almost four years, despite initiatives intended to bring relief to the populations in distress and to arrive at a political solution. Only by active cooperation between the United Nations, the African Union, the governments and other interested parties will these methods achieve results."

"The situation in the Horn of Africa has recently become more serious, with the resumption of hostilities and the internationalization of the conflict. ... With regard to Uganda, we must pray for the progress of negotiations between the parties, in order to hasten the end of that cruel conflict which has even seen numerous children enlisted and forced to become soldiers."

"The Great Lakes Region has seen much bloodshed over the years through merciless wars. Recent positive developments are to be welcomed with interest and hope, especially the conclusion of the period of political transition in Burundi and, more recently, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. ... In Rwanda, I pray that the long process of national reconciliation after the genocide may finally result in justice, but also in truth and forgiveness. ... Finally, I should like to mention the Ivory Coast, urging the embattled parties to create a climate of mutual trust that can lead to disarmament and peace. And I should like to speak of Southern Africa: in the countries of this region, millions of people are reduced to a situation of great vulnerability that clamors for the attention and the support of the international community.

"Among the positive signs for Africa is the wish expressed by the international community to keep its attention focused on this continent. Likewise, the strengthening of Africa's continental and regional institutions bears witness to the desire of the countries concerned to take increasing charge of their own destiny."

"The apostolic journey that I shall undertake next May to Brazil gives me the opportunity to turn my attention towards that great country, which awaits me with joy, and towards the whole of Latin America and the Caribbean. The improvement in certain economic indicators, the commitment to combat drug-trafficking and corruption, the various processes of integration, the efforts to improve access to education, to fight unemployment and to reduce inequalities in the distribution of revenues - these are all signs to be viewed with satisfaction. If these developments are consolidated, they will be able to make a decisive contribution to overcoming the poverty that afflicts vast sectors of the population and to increasing the stability of institutions.

"In the light of the elections that took place last year in several countries, it should be emphasized that democracy is called to take into account the aspirations of the citizens as a whole, and to promote increasing respect for all the components of society, according to the principles of solidarity, subsidiarity and justice. Yet the practice of democracy must not be allowed to turn into the dictatorship of relativism, by proposing anthropological models incompatible with the nature and dignity of the human person.

"My attention is focused in a special way on certain individual countries - notably Colombia, where the long internal conflict has provoked a humanitarian crisis, especially as far as displaced persons are concerned. Every effort must be made to bring peace to the country, to return to families their loved ones who have been kidnapped, to restore security and normal life for millions of people. ... Our attention is also turned towards Cuba. In voicing the hope that all of its inhabitants may realize their legitimate aspirations, amid concern for the common good, I should like to renew the appeal made by my venerable Predecessor: 'Let Cuba open itself to the world, and let the world open itself to Cuba.' Mutual openness to other countries can only bring benefits to all concerned. Not far away, the people of Haiti continue to live in great poverty surrounded by violence. I pray that the interest of the international community - manifested among other things by the conferences of donors that took place in 2006 - will lead to the consolidation of institutions and will allow the people to become the architects of their own development, amid a climate of reconciliation and harmony.

"The Asian continent includes countries characterized by very large populations and significant economic development. I am thinking of China and India, countries that are in rapid expansion, and I hope that their growing presence on the international stage will bring with it benefits for their own populations and for other nations. Likewise, I pray for Vietnam, recalling its recent entry into the World Trade Organization. My thoughts go out to the Christian communities. In most Asian countries, they tend to be small but lively communities, with a legitimate desire to be able to live and act in a climate of religious liberty. This is not only a primordial right but it is a condition that will enable them to contribute to the material and spiritual progress of society, and to be sources of cohesion and harmony.

"In East Timor, the Catholic Church intends to continue making her contribution, notably in the fields of education, healthcare and national reconciliation. The political crisis experienced by this young State, and by other countries in the region, highlights a certain fragility in the processes of democratization. Dangerous sources of tension are lurking in the Korean Peninsula. The goal of reconciling the Korean people and maintaining the Peninsula as a nuclear-free zone - which will bring benefits to the entire region - must be pursued within the context of negotiations. It is important to avoid gestures that could compromise the talks, and likewise to avoid making their results a condition for the humanitarian aid destined for the most vulnerable sectors of the North Korean population."

"In Afghanistan, in recent months, we can only deplore the notable increase in violence and terrorist attacks. This has rendered the way out of the crisis more difficult, and it weighs heavily on the local population. In Sri Lanka, the failure of the Geneva negotiations between the Government and the Tamil Movement has brought with it an intensification of the conflict, causing great suffering among the civilian population. Only the path of dialogue can ensure a better and safer future for all.

"The Middle East is also a source of great anxiety. ... I renew my urgent appeal to all parties involved in the complex political chessboard of the region, hoping for a consolidation of the positive signs noted in recent weeks between Israelis and Palestinians. The Holy See will never tire of reiterating that armed solutions achieve nothing, as we saw in Lebanon last summer. In fact, the future of that country depends upon the unity of all its components, and upon fraternal relations between its different religious and social groupings. ... In particular, the Lebanese have a right to see the integrity and sovereignty of their country respected; the Israelis have a right to live in peace in their State; the Palestinians have a right to a free and sovereign homeland. When each of the peoples in the region sees that its expectations are taken into consideration and thus feels less threatened, then mutual trust will be strengthened.

"This trust will grow if a country like Iran, especially in relation to its nuclear program, agrees to give a satisfactory response to the legitimate concerns of the international community. Steps taken in this direction surely help to stabilize the whole region, especially Iraq, putting an end to the appalling violence which disfigures that country with bloodshed, and offering an opportunity to work for reconstruction and reconciliation between all its inhabitants.

"Closer to us, in Europe, two new countries, Bulgaria and Romania, nations with a long Christian tradition, have joined the European Union. As the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Treaty of Rome approaches, some reflection on the Constitutional Treaty would seem appropriate. I hope that the fundamental values that are at the basis of human dignity will be fully protected, particularly religious freedom in all its dimensions and the institutional rights of Churches. ... The fiftieth anniversary of the rising of Budapest, celebrated last October, calls to mind the dramatic events of the twentieth century, and it prompts all Europeans to build a future free from oppression and from ideological conditioning, to establish bonds of friendship and fraternity, and to show concern and solidarity towards the poor and the weak. Likewise, the tensions of the past must be purified by promoting reconciliation at all levels, since this alone opens the way to the future and gives hope. I also appeal to all those on European soil who are tempted by terrorism, to cease from all such activity: actions of this kind only lead to more violence and create fear among populations - they are simply a dead end. And I must also mention the various 'frozen conflicts' and today's recurring tensions linked to energy resources, in the hope that they will find a rapid and definitive solution.

"I pray that the Balkan region will arrive at the stability so ardently desired, particularly through the integration of the nations concerned into continental structures with the support of the international community. The establishment of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Montenegro, which has recently entered peacefully into the family of nations, and the Fundamental Accord signed with Bosnia-Herzegovina are signs of the Holy See's constant concern for the Balkan region. As the moment approaches in which the statute of Kosovo will be defined, the Holy See asks all concerned to strive with far-sighted wisdom, flexibility and moderation, so that a solution may be found which respects the rights and legitimate expectations of all.

"The situations I have mentioned," the Pope concluded, "constitute a challenge that touches us all - a challenge to promote and consolidate all the positive elements in the world, and to overcome, with good will, wisdom and tenacity, all that causes injury, degradation and death. It is by respecting the human person that peace can be promoted, and it is by building peace that the foundations of an authentic integral humanism are laid. ... In her commitment to serve humanity and to build peace, the Church stands alongside all people of good will and she offers impartial cooperation. Together, each in his place and with his respective gifts, let us work to build an integral humanism which alone can guarantee a world of peace, justice and solidarity.AC/NEW YEAR/DIPLOMATIC CORPS VIS 20070108 (2720)

VATICAN CITY, JAN 7, 2007 (VIS) - In a note released at midday today, the apostolic nunciature to Poland stated that: "Metropolitan Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus of Warsaw, Poland, on the day in which he was scheduled to enter the cathedral basilica to begin his pastoral ministry in the Church of Warsaw, has presented His Holiness Benedict XVI with his resignation from canonical office, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

"The Holy Father has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus and has appointed Cardinal Jozef Glemp, primate of Poland, as diocesan administrator of Warsaw, until further notice." The note bears the signature of Archbishop Jozef Kowalczyk, apostolic nuncio to Poland.

For his part, Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. released the following declaration to journalists today:

"Archbishop Wielgus' conduct in the past years of the communist regime in Poland has seriously compromised his authority, even with the faithful. Therefore, despite his humble and touching request for forgiveness, his resignation from the see of Warsaw and its prompt acceptance on the part of the Holy Father seemed an appropriate way to address the disorientation that has been created in that country.

"It is a time of great suffering for a Church to which we all owe so much and which we love. A Church that has given us pastors of the stature of Cardinal Stefan Wyszybnski and, above all, of Pope John Paul II. The universal Church must feel spiritually united to the Church in Poland and support her with prayer and encouragement, so she may soon recover her serenity.

"At the same time, it must be remarked that the case of Archbishop Wielgus is not the first and will probably not be the last time that personalities of the Church are attacked on the basis of documentation from the security services of the former regime. There is an enormous amount of material and, in attempting to assess its value and draw reliable conclusions, it must not be forgotten that it was produced by officials of an oppressive and blackmailing regime.

"So many years after the end of the communist regime, with the loss of the great and unassailable figure of Pope John Paul II, the current wave of attacks against the Catholic Church in Poland, rather than a sincere search for transparency and truth, has many hallmarks of being a strange alliance between the persecutors of the past and their adversaries, a vendetta by those who used to persecute the Church and were defeated by the faith and the thirst for freedom of the Polish people.

"'The truth will make you free,' says Christ. The Church is not afraid of the truth and her members, to be faithful to their Lord, must be able to acknowledge their own faults. We hope that the Church in Poland will be able to live and surmount this difficult period courageously and clearly, so that she will be able to continue to offer her precious and extraordinary contribution of faith and evangelical energy to the Church in Europe and the world."OP/RESIGNATION/WIELGUS VIS 20070108 (530)

VATICAN CITY, JAN 7, 2007 (VIS) - After having presided at Mass in the Sistine Chapel, during which he administered the Sacrament of Baptism to 13 newborn infants, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square below.

"Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which closes the period of Christmas," he said, pointing out that the Baptism is mentioned, in different ways, in all the Gospels. "It was, in fact, part of the Apostles' preaching, because it constituted the starting point of the entire arc of deeds and words to which they were called to bear witness."

Jesus' Baptism was extremely important for the apostolic community, "not only because then, and for the first time in history, the mystery of the Trinity was made manifest clearly and completely, but also because with that event Jesus' public ministry began. ... The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan anticipates His Baptism of blood on the Cross and symbolizes the entire sacramental activity with which the Redeemer would achieve the salvation of humanity."

The Holy Father recalled that "this Feast is, after Easter, the oldest," and indicated how "there is a close correlation between the Baptism of Christ and our own Baptism. In the Jordan, heaven opened to show that the Savior has opened the way of salvation, and we can follow it thanks to the new birth 'of water and the Spirit' that comes about in Baptism. In Baptism we are inserted into mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church, we die and are born again in Him, we cloth ourselves in Him. ... The duty that arises from Baptism is, then, that of 'listening' to Jesus, believing in Him and following Him obediently, doing His will."ANG/BAPTISM CHRIST/... VIS 20070108 (320)

VATICAN CITY, JAN 7, 2007 (VIS) - In the Sistine Chapel today, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord which concludes the liturgical time of Christmas, the Pope baptized 13 newborn babies from various countries.

"Each child born," said the Holy Father in his homily, "brings to us the smile of God and invites us to recognize that life is His gift, a gift that must be accepted with love and protected with care, always and at all times."

"Each child born is entrusted by God to its parents. How important, then, is the family founded upon marriage! The cradle of life and of love."

After highlighting the fact that "Baptism is adoption and assumption into the family of God, in communion with the Holy Trinity," the Pope affirmed that newborns, "from being children of human parents, become also children of God in the living Son of God."

"In Baptism we are adopted by the heavenly Father," said Pope Benedict, "but in His family there is also a mother, the Mother Church."

"Christianity is not just a spiritual reality, an individual reality, a simple subjective decision that I take, but something real, something concrete, perhaps even something material. The family of God is built within the concrete reality of the Church."

The Holy Father called upon the parents and godparents of the children just baptized to teach them "to pray and to feel themselves to be active members of the real family of God, of the ecclesial community."

"The Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Compendium of that Catechism, ... could prove an extremely useful and exact tool to help you to grow in your own knowledge of Catholic faith, and to transmit it fully and faithfully to your offspring. Above all, do not forget that it is your testimony, your example, that has the greatest influence on the human and spiritual growth of ... your children."HML/BAPTISMS/... VIS 20070108 (340)

VATICAN CITY, JAN 6, 2007 (VIS) - The Solemnity of the Epiphany was the central theme of Benedict XVI's brief remarks before praying the Angelus today with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.

The Holy Father pointed out how the Gospel of Matthew lays great emphasis on the Epiphany, a vitally important event because it marks the beginning of the conversion of "pagan peoples to faith in Christ. ... If, then, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds of Bethlehem represent the people of Israel who welcomed the Lord, the Magi are the 'first fruit' of the Gentiles, also called to become part of the Church, the new people of God, no longer based on ethnic, linguistic or cultural homogeneity, but solely on shared faith in Jesus, the Son of God.

"For this reason," he added, "the Epiphany of Christ is at the same time the epiphany of the Church, in other words the expression of her vocation and universal mission." Benedict XVI then went on to greet "our brothers and sisters of the Oriental Churches who, following the Julian calendar, will celebrate Christmas tomorrow." He also recalled the fact that today is the World Day of Missionary Children, "the feast of Christian children who live the gift of faith with joy and pray that the light of Christ may reach all children in the world."ANG/EPIPHANY:MISSIONARY CHILDHOOD DAY/... VIS 20070108 (240)

VATICAN CITY, JAN 6, 2007 (VIS) - In the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m. today, the Pope presided at Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.

In his homily, the Holy Father affirmed that the Epiphany is "the 'manifestation' of Christ to peoples," who "are represented by the Magi, the mysterious pilgrims from the East. We celebrate Christ, the goal of peoples' pilgrimage in search of salvation".

"Who," the Pope asked, "are the Magi today? How, our minds upon the modern world, can we interpret these mysterious gospel figures?" To answer this question, he considered Vatican Council II which, he said, was moved "by the desire to announce Christ, light of the world, to modern humanity," and which identified "the need to create a new political and economic world order, and at the same time and above all a spiritual and cultural order, in other words a renewed humanism."

At the beginning of the third millenium, characterized by the phenomenon of globalization, said the Holy Father, there is a risk of losing sight of this challenge, "a risk greatly reinforced by the immense growth of the mass media which, although on the one hand they immeasurably increase our sources of information, on the other they seem to weaken our capacity to achieve a critical overview."

Recalling the final messages of Vatican Council II, the Pope indicated that the first was addressed to rulers and the second to men of thought and science, "two categories of people," he said, "that in some way correspond to the gospel figures of the Magi." To them, he went on, "it is today more than ever necessary to add the representatives of the great non-Christian religious traditions, inviting them to contemplate the light of Christ, Who came not to abolish but to bring to fruition what the hand of God had written in the religious history of civilizations, especially in the 'great souls' who contributed to building humanity with their wisdom and their exemplary virtue. Christ is light, and light cannot obscure but only illuminate, clarify and reveal.

"Therefore," he concluded, "let no one be afraid of Christ and of His message! And if in the course of history Christians, being imperfect and sinful, have sometimes betrayed Him with their behavior, this highlights even more the fact that the light is Christ, and the Church reflects that light only by remaining united to Him."HML/EPIPHANY/... VIS 20070108 (420)

- Appointed as members of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples: Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See; Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education; William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Franc Rode, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; and Agostino Vallini, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura; and Archbishop Giuseppe De Andrea, apostolic nuncio.NER:NA/.../... VIS 20070108 (150)

VATICAN CITY, JAN 8, 2007 (VIS) - The Pope has sent a telegram to Bishop Daniel Nlandu Mayi, auxiliary of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, for the death of the archbishop of that archdiocese, Cardinal Frederic Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi C.I.C.M., who died on January 6 at the age of 76.

"I pray to the Father of Mercy," writes Pope Benedict in his telegram, "to welcome in the light and peace of His Kingdom this pastor who consecrated his life with enthusiasm and abnegation to the service of Christ and His Church, in particular in the archdiocese of Mbandaka-Bikoro and in that of Kinshasa. I give thanks for the ministry of this eminent son of Africa, who was also president of the episcopal conference and who dedicated himself to announcing the Gospel, and to the service and promotion of the peoples of that continent."

The Holy Father has also sent a telegram of condolence to Fr. Josef Lapauw, superior general of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the religious order to which the late cardinal belonged."TGR/DEATH/ETSOU-NZABI-BAMUNGWABI VIS 20070108 (190)